{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-231.15.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-231.15.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-231.15.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-231.15.html"}],"law_id":77567,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77567,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.15","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1999, c. 874; 2000, cc. 944, 964, 989, 999.","full_text":"The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this article, shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:\n\t\t“Acquire” means and includes construct, or acquire by purchase, lease, devise, gift or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or by other mode of acquisition.\n\t\t“Affiliate” means a separate affiliated or subsidiary corporation or other separate legal entity.\n\t\t“Board” means the board of directors of a cooperative formed under or subject to this article.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.\n\t\t“Cooperative” means a utility consumer services cooperative formed under or subject to this article or a distribution cooperative formed under the former Distribution Cooperatives Act (\u00a7 56-209 et seq.).\n\t\t“Energy” means and includes any and all forms of energy no matter how or where generated or produced.\n\t\t“Federal agency” means and includes the United States of America, the President of the United States of America, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Federal Administrator of the Rural Utility Service, the Southeastern Power Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and any and all other authorities, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States of America, heretofore or hereafter created.\n\t\t“HVACR” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.\n\t\t“Improve” means and includes construct, reconstruct, replace, extend, enlarge, alter, better or repair.\n\t\t“Law” means any act or statute, general, special or local, of this Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Member” means and includes each natural person signing the articles of incorporation of a cooperative and each person admitted to membership therein pursuant to law or its bylaws.\n\t\t“Municipality” means any city or incorporated town of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Obligations” means and includes bonds, interim certificates or receipts, notes, debentures, and all other evidences of indebtedness either issued by, or the payment of which is assumed or contractually undertaken by, a cooperative.\n\t\t“Patronage capital” includes all amounts received by a cooperative from sales of electric power or electric distribution services, or both, to members in excess of the cooperative’s cost of furnishing electric power or distribution services, or both, to members and such other margins as determined by the board of directors.\n\t\t“Person” means and includes natural persons, firms, associations, cooperatives, corporations, limited liability companies, business trusts, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and bodies politic.\n\t\t“Propane or fuel oil equipment” means equipment and related systems to store or use propane or fuel oil products.\n\t\t“Regulated utility services” means utility services that are subject to regulation as to rates or service by the Commission.\n\t\t“System” means and includes any plant, works, system, facilities, equipment or properties, or any part or parts thereof, together with all appurtenances thereto, used or useful in connection with the generation, production, transmission or distribution of energy or in connection with other utility services.\n\t\t“Traditional cooperative activity” means any business, service or activity in which cooperatives in Virginia have traditionally engaged and that is incidental to and substantially related to the electric utility business conducted by a cooperative on or before July 1, 1999, provided that traditional cooperative activity does not include any program to (i) buy or maintain an inventory of HVACR equipment or household appliances; (ii) install or service any such equipment or household appliances for customers, unless such service is not provided by the cooperative but by a third party individual, firm or corporation licensed to perform such service; (iii) sell HVACR equipment or household appliances to customers metered and billed on residential rates; (iv) sell HVACR equipment to customers other than those metered and billed on residential rates except where such sale is an incidental part of providing other energy services or providing other traditional cooperative activities; (v) sell or distribute propane or fuel oil; sell, install or service propane or fuel oil equipment; or maintain or buy an inventory of propane or fuel oil equipment for resale; or (vi) serve as a coordinator of nonelectric energy services or provide engineering consulting services except when such energy or engineering services are an incidental part of a marketing effort to provide other energy or engineering services or as a part of providing services that are other traditional cooperative activities.\n\t\t“Utility services” means any products, services and equipment related to energy, telecommunications, water and sewerage.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":278286,"text":"The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this article, shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:\n\t\t“Acquire” means and includes construct, or acquire by purchase, lease, devise, gift or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or by other mode of acquisition.\n\t\t“Affiliate” means a separate affiliated or subsidiary corporation or other separate legal entity.\n\t\t“Board” means the board of directors of a cooperative formed under or subject to this article.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.\n\t\t“Cooperative” means a utility consumer services cooperative formed under or subject to this article or a distribution cooperative formed under the former Distribution Cooperatives Act (\u00a7 56-209 et seq.).\n\t\t“Energy” means and includes any and all forms of energy no matter how or where generated or produced.\n\t\t“Federal agency” means and includes the United States of America, the President of the United States of America, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Federal Administrator of the Rural Utility Service, the Southeastern Power Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and any and all other authorities, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States of America, heretofore or hereafter created.\n\t\t“HVACR” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.\n\t\t“Improve” means and includes construct, reconstruct, replace, extend, enlarge, alter, better or repair.\n\t\t“Law” means any act or statute, general, special or local, of this Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Member” means and includes each natural person signing the articles of incorporation of a cooperative and each person admitted to membership therein pursuant to law or its bylaws.\n\t\t“Municipality” means any city or incorporated town of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Obligations” means and includes bonds, interim certificates or receipts, notes, debentures, and all other evidences of indebtedness either issued by, or the payment of which is assumed or contractually undertaken by, a cooperative.\n\t\t“Patronage capital” includes all amounts received by a cooperative from sales of electric power or electric distribution services, or both, to members in excess of the cooperative’s cost of furnishing electric power or distribution services, or both, to members and such other margins as determined by the board of directors.\n\t\t“Person” means and includes natural persons, firms, associations, cooperatives, corporations, limited liability companies, business trusts, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and bodies politic.\n\t\t“Propane or fuel oil equipment” means equipment and related systems to store or use propane or fuel oil products.\n\t\t“Regulated utility services” means utility services that are subject to regulation as to rates or service by the Commission.\n\t\t“System” means and includes any plant, works, system, facilities, equipment or properties, or any part or parts thereof, together with all appurtenances thereto, used or useful in connection with the generation, production, transmission or distribution of energy or in connection with other utility services.\n\t\t“Traditional cooperative activity” means any business, service or activity in which cooperatives in Virginia have traditionally engaged and that is incidental to and substantially related to the electric utility business conducted by a cooperative on or before July 1, 1999, provided that traditional cooperative activity does not include any program to (i) buy or maintain an inventory of HVACR equipment or household appliances; (ii) install or service any such equipment or household appliances for customers, unless such service is not provided by the cooperative but by a third party individual, firm or corporation licensed to perform such service; (iii) sell HVACR equipment or household appliances to customers metered and billed on residential rates; (iv) sell HVACR equipment to customers other than those metered and billed on residential rates except where such sale is an incidental part of providing other energy services or providing other traditional cooperative activities; (v) sell or distribute propane or fuel oil; sell, install or service propane or fuel oil equipment; or maintain or buy an inventory of propane or fuel oil equipment for resale; or (vi) serve as a coordinator of nonelectric energy services or provide engineering consulting services except when such energy or engineering services are an incidental part of a marketing effort to provide other energy or engineering services or as a part of providing services that are other traditional cooperative activities.\n\t\t“Utility services” means any products, services and equipment related to energy, telecommunications, water and sewerage.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13548,"edition_id":1,"name":"Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives Act","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13182,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:11","permalink":{"id":251325,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13548,"identifier":"1","token":"56\/9.1\/1","url":"\/56\/9.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13182,"edition_id":1,"name":"Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives","identifier":"9.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:24","permalink":{"id":251323,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13182,"identifier":"9.1","token":"56\/9.1","url":"\/56\/9.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77567,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.15","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-231.15\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.15","metadata":false},{"id":69452,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.16","catch_line":"Organization; purpose","url":"\/56-231.16\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.16","metadata":false},{"id":84775,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.17","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","url":"\/56-231.17\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.17","metadata":false},{"id":62056,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.18","catch_line":"Name of other corporations not to include term \"electric cooperative\" or \"utility consumer services cooperative.\"","url":"\/56-231.18\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.18","metadata":false},{"id":56649,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.19","catch_line":"Filing articles of incorporation; effect thereof; other provisions of law applicable","url":"\/56-231.19\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.19","metadata":false},{"id":56722,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.20","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-231.20\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.20","metadata":false},{"id":63207,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.21","catch_line":"Dissolution and termination of cooperatives","url":"\/56-231.21\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.21","metadata":false},{"id":83080,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.22","catch_line":"Charter amendments","url":"\/56-231.22\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.22","metadata":false},{"id":72128,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.23","catch_line":"General powers granted","url":"\/56-231.23\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.23","metadata":false},{"id":81307,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.24","catch_line":"Power to dispose of property","url":"\/56-231.24\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.24","metadata":false},{"id":73620,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.25","catch_line":"Power to issue obligations","url":"\/56-231.25\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.25","metadata":false},{"id":82512,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.26","catch_line":"Covenants in connection with obligations","url":"\/56-231.26\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.26","metadata":false},{"id":56541,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.27","catch_line":"Power to purchase its own obligations","url":"\/56-231.27\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.27","metadata":false},{"id":54513,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.28","catch_line":"Board of directors of cooperatives","url":"\/56-231.28\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.28","metadata":false},{"id":55041,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.29","catch_line":"Powers of board of directors","url":"\/56-231.29\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.29","metadata":false},{"id":62265,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.30","catch_line":"Rights and liabilities of members","url":"\/56-231.30\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.30","metadata":false},{"id":63250,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.31","catch_line":"Payment of certain patronage capital to spouse or next of kin of deceased person","url":"\/56-231.31\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.31","metadata":false},{"id":82313,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.31:1","catch_line":"Donation of certain patronage capital to the cooperative","url":"\/56-231.31_1\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.31_1","metadata":false},{"id":59045,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.32","catch_line":"Service to members","url":"\/56-231.32\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.32","metadata":false},{"id":75936,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.33","catch_line":"Adequate service; rates","url":"\/56-231.33\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.33","metadata":false},{"id":66118,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34","catch_line":"Regulation by Commission","url":"\/56-231.34\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34","metadata":false},{"id":71119,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34:1","catch_line":"Separation of regulated and unregulated businesses","url":"\/56-231.34_1\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34_1","metadata":false},{"id":82749,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34:2","catch_line":"Right of action; violation of rules or regulations","url":"\/56-231.34_2\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34_2","metadata":false},{"id":69534,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.35","catch_line":"Charter fees, etc","url":"\/56-231.35\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.35","metadata":false},{"id":58392,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.36","catch_line":"Construction of article; conflicting laws","url":"\/56-231.36\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.36","metadata":false},{"id":85836,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.37","catch_line":"How article cited","url":"\/56-231.37\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.37","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":69452,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.16","catch_line":"Organization; purpose","url":"\/56-231.16\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.16","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-231.15\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1999. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 874<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2000, chapters 944<\/a>, 964<\/a>, 989<\/a>, and 999<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80733,"section_number":"10.1-408","catch_line":"Uses not affected by scenic river designation","order_by":null,"url":"\/10.1-408\/"},{"id":76923,"section_number":"13.1-308","catch_line":"Limitation of use of \"cooperative\" in corporate name","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-308\/"},{"id":56557,"section_number":"15.2-2159","catch_line":"Fee for solid waste disposal by counties","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2159\/"},{"id":74569,"section_number":"15.2-2232","catch_line":"Legal status of plan","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2232\/"},{"id":60851,"section_number":"15.2-816.1","catch_line":"Underground electric distribution, telecommunications, cable, and other utility facilities","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-816.1\/"},{"id":72703,"section_number":"56-16.3","catch_line":"Fiber optic broadband lines crossing railroads","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-16.3\/"},{"id":87361,"section_number":"56-234","catch_line":"Duty to furnish adequate service at reasonable and uniform rates","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-234\/"},{"id":63163,"section_number":"56-235.4","catch_line":"Prohibition of multiple rate increases within any twelve-month period; exception","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-235.4\/"},{"id":70288,"section_number":"56-247.1","catch_line":"Commission to require public utilities to follow certain procedures","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-247.1\/"},{"id":67753,"section_number":"56-466.1","catch_line":"Pole attachments; cable television systems and telecommunications service providers","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-466.1\/"},{"id":62210,"section_number":"56-576","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-576\/"},{"id":78934,"section_number":"56-585.1:3","catch_line":"Pilot programs for community solar development","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.1_3\/"},{"id":87343,"section_number":"56-585.3","catch_line":"Regulation of cooperative rates after rate caps","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.3\/"},{"id":80324,"section_number":"56-585.4","catch_line":"Net energy metering transition provisions for electric cooperatives","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.4\/"},{"id":81665,"section_number":"56-585.5","catch_line":"Generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.5\/"},{"id":56626,"section_number":"56-594.01:1","catch_line":"Local facilities usage charges; electric cooperatives","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-594.01_1\/"},{"id":57383,"section_number":"56-596.2","catch_line":"Energy efficiency policy and programs; financial assistance for low-income customers","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-596.2\/"},{"id":86914,"section_number":"58.1-811","catch_line":"(Contingent effective date \u2014 see note) Exemptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-811\/"},{"id":81398,"section_number":"59.1-575","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-575\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":71087,"section_number":"56-209","catch_line":"Repealed","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-209\/"}],"permalink":{"id":251327,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77567,"identifier":"56-231.15","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.15","url":"\/56-231.15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-231.15\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.15","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-231.15","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this article, shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:\n\t\t“Acquire<\/span>” means and includes construct, or acquire<\/span> by purchase, lease, devise, gift or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or by other mode of acquisition.\n\t\t“Affiliate<\/span>” means a separate affiliated or subsidiary corporation<\/span> or other separate legal entity.\n\t\t“Board<\/span>” means the board<\/span> of directors of a cooperative formed under or subject to this article.\n\t\t“Commission<\/span>” means the State Corporation<\/span> Commission<\/span> of Virginia.\n\t\t“Cooperative” means a utility consumer services cooperative formed under or subject to this article or a distribution cooperative formed under the former Distribution Cooperatives<\/span> Act (\u00a7 56-209<\/a> et seq.).\n\t\t“Energy<\/span>” means and includes any and all forms of energy<\/span> no matter how or where generated or produced.\n\t\t“Federal agency<\/span>” means and includes the United States of America, the President of the United States of America, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Federal Administrator of the Rural Utility Service, the Southeastern Power Administration, the Federal Energy<\/span> Regulatory Commission<\/span>, the Securities and Exchange Commission<\/span>, the Federal Communications Commission<\/span> and any and all other authorities, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States of America, heretofore or hereafter created.\n\t\t“HVACR<\/span>” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.\n\t\t“Improve<\/span>” means and includes construct, reconstruct, replace, extend, enlarge, alter, better or repair.\n\t\t“Law<\/span>” means any act or statute<\/span>, general, special or local, of this Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Member<\/span>” means and includes each natural person<\/span> signing the articles of incorporation of a cooperative and each person<\/span> admitted to membership therein pursuant to law<\/span> or its bylaws.\n\t\t“Municipality<\/span>” means any city or incorporated town of the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Obligations<\/span>” means and includes bonds<\/span>, interim certificates or receipts, notes, debentures, and all other evidences<\/span> of indebtedness either issued by, or the payment of which is assumed or contractually undertaken by, a cooperative.\n\t\t“Patronage capital<\/span>” includes all amounts received by a cooperative from sales of electric power or electric distribution services, or both, to members<\/span> in excess of the cooperative’s cost of furnishing electric power or distribution services, or both, to members<\/span> and such other margins as determined by the board<\/span> of directors.\n\t\t“Person<\/span>” means and includes natural persons<\/span>, firms, associations, cooperatives<\/span>, corporations<\/span>, limited liability companies, business trusts, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and bodies politic.\n\t\t“Propane or fuel oil equipment<\/span>” means equipment and related systems<\/span> to store or use propane or fuel oil products.\n\t\t“Regulated utility services<\/span>” means utility services that are subject to regulation as to rates<\/span> or service by the Commission<\/span>.\n\t\t“System<\/span>” means and includes any plant, works, system<\/span>, facilities, equipment or properties, or any part or parts thereof, together with all appurtenances thereto, used or useful in connection with the generation, production, transmission or distribution of energy<\/span> or in connection with other utility services.\n\t\t“Traditional cooperative activity<\/span>” means any business, service or activity in which cooperatives<\/span> in Virginia have traditionally engaged and that is incidental to and substantially related to the electric utility business conducted by a cooperative on or before July 1, 1999, provided that traditional cooperative activity<\/span> does not include any program to (i) buy or maintain an inventory of HVACR<\/span> equipment or household appliances; (ii) install or service any such equipment or household appliances for customers, unless such service is not provided by the cooperative but by a third party<\/span> individual, firm or corporation<\/span> licensed to perform such service; (iii) sell HVACR<\/span> equipment or household appliances to customers metered and billed on residential rates<\/span>; (iv) sell HVACR<\/span> equipment to customers other than those metered and billed on residential rates<\/span> except where such sale is an incidental part of providing other energy<\/span> services or providing other traditional cooperative activities; (v) sell or distribute propane or fuel oil; sell, install or service propane or fuel oil equipment<\/span>; or maintain or buy an inventory of propane or fuel oil equipment<\/span> for resale; or (vi) serve as a coordinator of nonelectric energy<\/span> services or provide engineering consulting services except when such energy<\/span> or engineering services are an incidental part of a marketing effort to provide other energy<\/span> or engineering services or as a part of providing services that are other traditional cooperative activities.\n\t\t“Utility services” means any products, services and equipment related to energy<\/span>, telecommunications, water and sewerage.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 56-231.15)\n\nThe following terms, whenever used or referred to in this article, shall have\nthe following meanings, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the\ncontext:\n\t\t“Acquire” means and includes construct, or acquire by purchase,\nlease, devise, gift or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or by other\nmode of acquisition.\n\t\t“Affiliate” means a separate affiliated or subsidiary corporation\nor other separate legal entity.\n\t\t“Board” means the board of directors of a cooperative formed under\nor subject to this article.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.\n\t\t“Cooperative” means a utility consumer services cooperative formed\nunder or subject to this article or a distribution cooperative formed under the\nformer Distribution Cooperatives Act (\u00a7 56-209 et seq.).\n\t\t“Energy” means and includes any and all forms of energy no matter\nhow or where generated or produced.\n\t\t“Federal agency” means and includes the United States of America,\nthe President of the United States of America, the Tennessee Valley Authority,\nthe Federal Administrator of the Rural Utility Service, the Southeastern Power\nAdministration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Securities and\nExchange Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and any and all other\nauthorities, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States of America,\nheretofore or hereafter created.\n\t\t“HVACR” means heating, ventilation, air conditioning and\nrefrigeration.\n\t\t“Improve” means and includes construct, reconstruct, replace,\nextend, enlarge, alter, better or repair.\n\t\t“Law” means any act or statute, general, special or local, of this\nCommonwealth.\n\t\t“Member” means and includes each natural person signing the\narticles of incorporation of a cooperative and each person admitted to\nmembership therein pursuant to law or its bylaws.\n\t\t“Municipality” means any city or incorporated town of the\nCommonwealth.\n\t\t“Obligations” means and includes bonds, interim certificates or\nreceipts, notes, debentures, and all other evidences of indebtedness either\nissued by, or the payment of which is assumed or contractually undertaken by, a\ncooperative.\n\t\t“Patronage capital” includes all amounts received by a cooperative\nfrom sales of electric power or electric distribution services, or both, to\nmembers in excess of the cooperative’s cost of furnishing electric power\nor distribution services, or both, to members and such other margins as\ndetermined by the board of directors.\n\t\t“Person” means and includes natural persons, firms, associations,\ncooperatives, corporations, limited liability companies, business trusts,\npartnerships, limited liability partnerships and bodies politic.\n\t\t“Propane or fuel oil equipment” means equipment and related\nsystems to store or use propane or fuel oil products.\n\t\t“Regulated utility services” means utility services that are\nsubject to regulation as to rates or service by the Commission.\n\t\t“System” means and includes any plant, works, system, facilities,\nequipment or properties, or any part or parts thereof, together with all\nappurtenances thereto, used or useful in connection with the generation,\nproduction, transmission or distribution of energy or in connection with other\nutility services.\n\t\t“Traditional cooperative activity” means any business, service or\nactivity in which cooperatives in Virginia have traditionally engaged and that\nis incidental to and substantially related to the electric utility business\nconducted by a cooperative on or before July 1, 1999, provided that traditional\ncooperative activity does not include any program to (i) buy or maintain an\ninventory of HVACR equipment or household appliances; (ii) install or service\nany such equipment or household appliances for customers, unless such service is\nnot provided by the cooperative but by a third party individual, firm or\ncorporation licensed to perform such service; (iii) sell HVACR equipment or\nhousehold appliances to customers metered and billed on residential rates; (iv)\nsell HVACR equipment to customers other than those metered and billed on\nresidential rates except where such sale is an incidental part of providing\nother energy services or providing other traditional cooperative activities; (v)\nsell or distribute propane or fuel oil; sell, install or service propane or fuel\noil equipment; or maintain or buy an inventory of propane or fuel oil equipment\nfor resale; or (vi) serve as a coordinator of nonelectric energy services or\nprovide engineering consulting services except when such energy or engineering\nservices are an incidental part of a marketing effort to provide other energy or\nengineering services or as a part of providing services that are other\ntraditional cooperative activities.\n\t\t“Utility services” means any products, services and equipment\nrelated to energy, telecommunications, water and sewerage.\n\nHISTORY: 1999, c. 874; 2000, cc. 944, 964, 989, 999.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}